Basking Shark

Basking Shark

Unlike its cousins, Great White Sharks And Mako Sharks, the Basking Shark is a gentle giant.

The Basking Sharks is the second-biggest shark in the world, after the Whale Shark. It grows up to 9 m long - as long as five people lying end - to - end.

Basking Sharks are filter - feeders, and eat by sieving tiny animals, known as plankton, out of the water as they swim along.

Basking Sharks are not interested in eating humans - as they don't have big teeth for bitting or chewing.

Basking Sharks get their name  because they appear to ' bask ', or lie in the sun, close to the surface of the sea. When they do this they are probably feeding.

Basking Sharks will sometimes leap right out of the water, and then flop back down with an enormous splash.

Other names for Basking Sharks are Bone Sharks, Elephant Sharks, Bigmouth Sharks, or Sunfish - because people used to think Basking Sharks enjoyed lying in the sun.

Occasionally Basking Sharks have been swimming in large groups of 50 or more.

People used to catch Basking Sharks and collect the oil from the their livers to use as lamp fuel. Because Basking Sharks are so big, one Basking Sharks liver could provide a huge amount of lamp oil. 

" Basking Sharks have huge livers that weigh up to 2000 kg ( 2 tonnes)".